Hummingbird Nectar & Feeder Tips

Making sugar water nectar for a hanging hummingbird feeder is simple. Learn how!

by Farmers' Almanac Staff Updated: September 18, 2023

Nothing is more breathtaking than watching hummingbirds dart about on a hot summer day. Invite them to your patio or backyard with a feeder with their favorite nectar—sugar water. Making sugar water nectar for a hanging hummingbird feeder is simple. Since the standard feeder holds about one quart, here’s a recipe for that amount.

Hummingbird Nectar Recipe

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird (archilochus colubris) in flight at a feeder with a colorful background

Hummingbird Nectar Recipe

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Cuisine American

Ingredients

4 cups water
1 cup sugar

Instructions

Stir sugar into a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before adding to the hummingbird feeder.
While hummingbirds are attracted to red, there is no need to add red dye to your nectar.
The color of your feeder is what attracts them.

Keyword hummingbird feeder recipe, hummingbird sugar water recipe

Hummingbird Feeder Tips

Hummingbird and bumblebee drinking from a feeder — Wasps and bees also enjoy drinking from your hummingbird feeder.

Hang the feeder in partial shade to keep the nectar solution from fermenting.
Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned out twice per week, especially in hot weather over 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean the feeder using hot water only, or a weak white vinegar solution.
Tie a red bandana to the top of the feeder to attract hummingbirds.
Use fishing line to hang your feeder. Fishing line is too thin for ants to crawl up!
Wasps and bees can also be attracted to the feeder. If this becomes a problem, visit your local garden center for a mesh bee guard to attach to the feeder.
Never substitute honey for sugar when making sugar water nectar.